Hybrid vehicle. Mayden flight of Cyfoam.

The Cyfoam is a hybrid vehicle developed at ENAC Drone Lab. The aircraft is a foamy, with a 3D printed fuselage, version of the composite-made Cyclone, i.e., before risking the expensive one, we committed the first flights with this foamy version.

The vehicle is powered by the new Paparazzi autopilot board Chimera! which executes the control algorithm for transition flight developed at Delft MAV Lab.

Still figuring out what is the most convenient way for taking off and landing in a total autonomous way this kind of hybrid vehicle. Stay tuned :P.

very nice! I've caught the tailsitter bug too, I'm building another one now.

For takeoff/landing I've been thinking of putting servos on the front two motor arms so they can tilt. Then if the vehicle is lying flat on the ground it can tilt its motors to point straight up, and then apply power, lifting itself up into vehicle hover while it straightens out its arms. It does add mechanical complexity, but would solve the problem of tailsitters falling over on the ground, which seems to be their main weakness.